03 May 2014

Here are the answers to yesterday’s comprehension questions from the video “What is Logistics?”

1. According to the presenter, who is involved in logistics? everyone in involved, whether they know it or not

2. Logistically speaking, what has happened to every object in the room you are sitting in? they have been shipped multiple times

3. Why does he use the journey of a bottle of water as an example to explain the importance of logistics? water is an essential element of life that every human being depends on

4. What part does the speaker say LoadDelivered plays? making sure things go on track

5. What all is needed and transported to create a bottle of water? the water, recycled materials that go into packaging, the recycled plastic, the bottle top, the little seal that attaches to the bottle

6. Where do all the components for assembly arrive? a production facility

7. After assembly, describe the final journey of the bottled water. The finished good leaves the production facility to go to a distribution center which needs to get the product to a local distribution center. From there, it goes to a retail store who then puts the product on the shelves for the consumer can take it home.

8. According to the speaker, how important can the logistics provider’s role be and what example does he use? It can be a matter of life a death. The goods need to get to their final location on time in the correct condition and usable by the consumer. As an example of this role, the speaker talks about how they knew that hurricane Isaac was going to hit Louisiana and they sent vans with water and supplies to be already in place to help save lives when the storm hit.

9. What does he means when he says that they are “looking out for the big picture?” they have to have to see the larger perspective and be ready to answer future needs, such as in the above case with hurricane Isaac

10. What repercussions are mentioned if the bottled water isn’t delivered on time? an angry customer, a human being who isn’t able to drink for a day

11. What does the speaker call “good logistics?” something well thought-out and actually enacted

KEY VOCABULARY

to ship = to send goods to customers, usually by air, land or sea

We can create phrasal verbs from “ship.” Take a look at these:

to ship in = to have something shipped to you: ”We don’t have that spare part on hand for your car. We will need to have it shipped in from our supplier.”

to ship out = to send goods to a place: “We shipped the goods out last week.”

to ship off to = can have the same meaning as above:“We shipped the goods off to our distributer last week.” / It also has the idiomatic meaning of sending someone somewhere where they don’t want to go: “A lot of English parents ship their children off to boarding school.”

the journey = an occasion when you or something travel from one location to another, especially when there is a long distance between the places

Vocabulary note! This word along with other similar words such as travel, trip or voyage can be quite confusing to learners of English. Check back tomorrow for an explanation of the differences in meaning.

go on track = everything is functioning correctly and on time: “So far everything is going on track, exactly as we planned.”

packaging = the box or wrapping in which a product is offered for sale

seal = any substance or device used to close or fasten tightly

assembly = the process of putting together a number of parts to make a machine or other product

production facility = a location, such as a factory, that is specifically equipped for the production of certain goods. It comes from the word ‘facilitate,’ meaning to make easier.

distribution center = for a set of products is a warehouse or other specialized building, often with refrigeration or air conditioning, which is stocked with products (goods) to be redistributed to retailers, to wholesalers, or directly to consumers.

to get something to somewhere = to move something to or from a position or place

retail store (or shop) = a shop that sales goods and services from individuals or businesses to the end-user (= person who uses a product)

the retailer = A business or person that sells goods to the consumer, as opposed to a wholesaler or supplier, who normally sell their goods to another business.

supplies = General purpose consumable items which commonly have a shorter life span in use than equipment and machines, and which are stocked for recurring use.

the big (or wider) picture = a whole or complete situation, including all the things that it affects, not just one part of it: “It's important we don't lose sight of the big picture when we make these decisions.”

thought-out = considered in every aspect: “He presented a well-though-out plan.'”

enact = put into effect or action. “The company has enacted new rules on customer service.”

Portfolio européen des langues

Podcasts (work in progress)

To improve your English, it’s important to find ways to surround yourself in English-language sources. One of the great ways is to listen to podcasts and on the internet, these types of podcasts are not lacking!! Here are a some that could be quite interesting for you to follow. You can download them directly from their respective homepages by clicking on the links (in bold) below, or on iTunes. Text in blue is British English. Red is North American English. Green is Australian English.

NOTE: I’m still working on completing this list so check back as I keep updating it. (Updated 27 Apr 14)

Learning English Podcasts (all the podcasts are free, though some sites may have learning guides that require paid membership. However, you can still effectively learn from the podcast without these learning guides.):

British Council: Overcooked– (audio and video) This series provides an introduction to British food. The culture develop around food can reveal a lot about them; providing insights into their personality, values and beliefs

British Council: Britain is Great – (video podcast) This series of video shows different aspects of the best of Britain. They’re not just about the country, though. There are lots of exercises to help you improve your English. Videos are lively and fast-moving – best if you’re a confident learner of English.

Podcasts in English -Podcasts in English is for students/learners of English who want to improve their speaking and listening skills. The pie team have over 20 years of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) and ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching experience with the British Council in Asia, Africa and Europe. As well as the podcast listenings, there are transcripts of the podcasts and worksheets which will provide comprehensive help for all four language skills to aid your learning

Listen to English – learn English – Two short (5 minutes or less) podcasts every week in clearly spoken English will help you to improve your listening skills and learn new words and expressions. Many podcasts are linked to grammar and vocabulary notes or to quizzes or exercises. (Note: Excellent site, however the last podcast dates from Jan 2013)

Business English Pod – this is an extremely well done site and worth the cost for those who are truly motivated.

ESL Pod – probably one of the best podcasts for learning American English, highly recommended!

VOA (Voice of America):Learning English Podcast – Learning English using a limited vocabulary and are read at a slower pace. Great for elementary to pre-intermediate learners.

VOA: Words and Their Stories – Idioms and expressions that many learners of American English find difficult to understand

Effortless English Podcast - Learn tips and strategies to improve your spoken English. Also learn about American language and culture.

Australia Network: Vodcasts– this link will send you to a great variety of video podcasts from the land Down Under. There are complete courses available but no new podcasts have been produced since 2011.

Slow English – A podcast about Australia for learners of English, spoken slowly by a native speaker.

Dig Into English – For intermediate to advanced learners. Dig into English’s interesting and fun (and free!) podcast episodes help you learn natural English expressions and improve your vocabulary.

News & Politics:

BBC World Service: Global News - The best stories, interviews and on the spot reporting from around the world. Listen to up to 30 minutes of highlights from Newshour, Newsday and The Newsroom. Compiled twice a day from the 24 hour News coverage from BBC World Service.

BBC World Service: From Out Own Correspondent - Every week correspondents, journalists and writers from around the world report on the stories behind the headlines, often bringing a personal perspective to them.

BBC World Service: Documentaries - An in-depth look at stories and issues from around the world. This podcast offers you the chance to access landmark series from our archive.

BBC Radio 4: The Best of Today – (2 to 11 minutes) Insight, analysis and expert debate as key policy makers are challenged on the latest news stories.

NPR (National Public Radio) Topics: Story of the Day - Funny, moving, exceptional, or just offbeat -- the NPR story people will be talking about tomorrow. The best of Morning Edition, All Things Considered and other award-winning NPR programs.

VOA: Issues in the News - Join us each week as prominent Washington D.C. correspondents discuss topics making headlines around the world.

Business News

BBC World Service: Business Daily – Examining the big issues facing the global economy. Business Daily Demystifies the world of money.

Culture & Society:

BBC Radio 4: In Our Time with Melvyn Bragg - Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of ideas – including topics drawn from philosophy, science, history, religion and culture

BBC Radio 4: Thinking Allowed – Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works and discusses current ideas on how we live today.

BBC World Service: Science in Action - Explore scientific research and its impact on science as well as its implications for all of us.Science in Action is a magazine programme that pulls together the science issues of the week and delivers breaking science news from the just-released journals.

BBC Radio 4: Inside Health - Demystifying the health issues of the day that confuse us. Inside Health, with Dr Mark Porter, will be offered in this download, as well as additional related programmes from BBC Radio 4.

Technology: (en travaux)

BBC World Service: Click – For the best debate on global technology, social media and the internet

“Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We would not dare to conceive the things which are really mere commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the roofs, and and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the wonderful chains of events, working through generations, and leading to the most outre results, it would make all fiction with its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and unprofitable.”

“Women are naturally secretive, and they like to do their own secreting.”

“You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear.”

“It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

“He is not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession. He has one positive virtue. He is as brave as a bulldog and as tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone.”

“A sandwich and a cup of coffee, and then off to violin-land, where all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony.”

“My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of existence.”